Wilde West 16
8:15:09 PM Khiro: I think that Kate was going to go talk to Ebenezer about the translation. 8:15:42 PM Josie: Josie was! 8:15:46 PM Josie: Josie does that. 8:16:09 PM Khiro: He's in his shop! 8:18:52 PM Josie: Hey, Eben. 8:20:01 PM Khiro: He looks up and smiles at you. "Hello, Kate." 8:24:08 PM Josie: Made any progress on the journal? 8:25:56 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, some. I got the first half of it translated. The code becomes more and more complex and time consuming to translate. 8:26:18 PM Khiro: he hands over a stack of papers that have his translated notes. 8:28:58 PM Josie: Josie takes it, and starts looking at it. "Bought a horse." 8:29:08 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Man was led by his dreams to search for Excalibur most of his adult life, it seems. 8:29:11 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Oh? 8:31:11 PM Josie: Josie nods. 8:31:15 PM Josie: Centaur fella outside of town. 8:32:33 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Right. He's a strange one. 8:33:23 PM Josie: Real strange. 8:33:30 PM Josie: ... two of the horses said I smelled *too* good. 8:34:26 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, I could see that. 8:34:55 PM Josie: Josie blushes. 8:36:51 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: ...still not sure where he found Excalibur hiding, though. Hopefully that'll be later in the journal. 8:38:10 PM Josie: Josie shrugs. 8:38:26 PM Josie: Less concerned on that, more concerned on who was huntin' him an' if he identifies who killed 'im in there. 8:38:45 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I'm just curious. Being an englishman and all. 8:39:07 PM Josie: ... huh. Suppose you're descended from King Arthur. Maybe you should be carryin' the gun. 8:40:28 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Just because I'm british? No, I'm not descended from anyone. I assume you're descended from Thomas Jefferson, being american? 8:41:08 PM Josie: ... could be. Ain't too likely though. Just thought all the aristocracy was related. 8:44:43 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Nah. Chances are Arthur was a Roman centurion or a Celt battlechief. Some mystics think there were many Arthurs, that he's just kind of a repeating... archetype. 8:46:18 PM Josie: ... *caused* by the sword? 8:46:39 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm. That's a possiblity. Maybe you're the next. 8:47:01 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Dibs on being Sir Bedevere. 8:47:34 PM Josie: ... wasn't he the one chasin' the dragon? 8:50:51 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm. Don't know if I read that story. 8:52:55 PM Josie: Which one was he, then? 8:54:09 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Bedivere was Arthur's right hand. Very learned. 8:54:58 PM Josie: Oh. Well, seems to fit well enough, you're prob'ly the best educated person in town. 8:55:07 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I don't know about that. 8:56:43 PM Josie: Who else'd be more so? 8:59:17 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Rivers. The girl in the telegraph office. The mayor. The Preacher. Miss Marta. 9:00:46 PM Josie: Miss Marta's pretty smart. Preacher speaks Latin. Rivers can't keep a thought straight for more'n'a few minutes, he says. Miss Crafter's... interestin'. M'surprised you didn't take to her 'stead o' me. 9:02:06 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Miss Crafter? She's nice, but I'm not her type. 9:03:01 PM Josie: ... reckon you don't explode often enough. 9:03:37 PM Khiro: EBenezer: ...well, that, and I'm... well, a gent. 9:04:45 PM Josie: *Oh.* She likes.... *oh*. Well, some folks're wired strange, I guess. 9:05:22 PM Khiro: EBenezer shrugs. "To be fair, though, I think her first love is her science. 9:06:05 PM Josie: Even stranger, I guess. 9:09:24 PM Khiro: Ebenezer shrugs again! 9:12:33 PM Josie: Josie does too. 9:12:45 PM Josie: Well. I'll start readin' this if that's all right with you. ... mind if I set here an' do that? 9:13:46 PM Khiro: He smiles. "Not at all. Want some coffee?" 9:14:22 PM Josie: Sure, if you got some made. 9:14:31 PM Josie: ((I gotta swap over the laundry! I totally forgot about it.)) 9:15:36 PM Khiro: ((okay!)) 9:15:47 PM Khiro: He nods, and goes to get a couple of cups of coffee. 9:18:32 PM Josie: ((back!)) 9:18:35 PM Josie: Josie starts reading! 9:19:28 PM Khiro: Ebenezer returns with a couple cups of coffee. His handwriting is not the best! 9:19:42 PM Josie: ... shoulda been a doctor... 9:20:00 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm? 9:21:19 PM Josie: Your writin's hard to read. 9:24:11 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Oh. Sorry about that. I was scribbling so fast. 9:24:22 PM Josie: Maybe you could interpret. 9:24:35 PM Josie: Josie hands him the writing. 9:24:39 PM Khiro: He comes up behind your chair, putting his hands on your shoulders. "Interpret what?" 9:26:11 PM Josie: Josie startles a bit, but then relaxes, and sets the papers down, pointing to the word(?) in question. 9:26:34 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: "Cornwall". 9:27:55 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: The gentlemen describes tracking down clues in an old tin mine. 9:29:38 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Most of the entries involve his pursuing clues he perceived in some old rhyme or text. Generally to no avail. 9:30:09 PM Josie: Huh. Has he started seein' people followin' him in this part yet? 9:31:15 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: He thought was being followed from the outset, from the first time he started having dreams. Hard to tell if it was a legitmate concern or just a symptom of his increasing paranoia. 9:33:15 PM Josie: ... you think he was crazy? The murder victim, I mean? An' does he have a name that you know of yet? 9:34:09 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: haven't found a name. Or really any references to him, personally, but that does make sense. And I don't know about crazy. Definitely obsessed. 9:36:50 PM Josie: ... interestin'. 9:37:44 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: This struck me as a journal meant to be read only by the man writing it, so. Mostly academic studies. 9:37:59 PM Khiro: ((Like the Grail Diary n Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.)) 9:39:46 PM Josie: ... that's interestin' too. 9:40:51 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: And considering how he ended up, his paranoia wasn't unjustified. 9:43:06 PM Josie: I'd say not. At least *one* person was out to get 'im, all right. 9:43:36 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: ...with a silver bullet, no less. 9:45:00 PM Josie: Yeah, 'bout that. Any indication of him bein' an otherworlder? 9:45:59 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Nothing I've read so far. 9:51:42 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: But if he were a werewolf, it'd be obvious. 9:53:06 PM Josie: Writin' would change every month? Or you'd be able to smell it? ... or his body would change after he died? 9:58:53 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I would've smelled it on him. And we change into wolves when we die. 9:59:20 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: ..that's why the skeleton in Rivers' house bugged me so much. 9:59:41 PM Josie: Asked him about it, he said he didn't know if she was a Christian or not. ... makes burial awkward. 10:00:22 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well... it shouldn't have looked like that. It was a fake. It should have looked like a wolf skeleton. 10:01:06 PM Josie: Oh! ... well that's a relief, anyhow. Didn't want to press 'im too much on it, but I was tryin' to figure out a way to get 'im to take 'er down anyhow. 10:01:38 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: It was probably someone doctoring a bunch of remains. 10:04:00 PM Josie: Combinin' 'em. Like you might do with taxidermy. ... though that means some of 'em were human, an' some of 'em are missin' altogether. 10:04:29 PM Khiro: Ebenezer nods! 10:05:47 PM Josie: ... be a fine way to hide a crime, in plain sight like that. 10:06:23 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I suppose it would. 10:08:59 PM Josie: ... might have to ask him 'bout it. Reckon it wouldn't've been somethin' he did, but the fella he bought the skeleton from. 10:10:33 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Could just be a fiji mermaid situation, too. 10:12:19 PM Josie: Still a dead body. ... maybe he's got a provenance for it might be checkable. 10:12:33 PM Josie: Oh well, anyhow. What 'bout the rest of this translation? 10:13:42 PM | Edited 10:14:14 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: So far all I've uncovered is a bibliography, and the results of several expeditions he made in the British Isles hunting for Excalibur. 10:16:08 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Lots of cross-referencing various texts. 10:16:09 PM Josie: ...what were the dreams like? Did he say? 10:16:47 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: He only mentions them at the start. A beautiful woman appears to him in the dream, presenting him with sword. 10:18:26 PM Josie: Huh. Well, don't remember my dream too well, but I *did* dream 'bout Camelot. An' it was nice. 10:18:49 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Better than the killing-in-cold-blood dreams, I'd wager. 10:19:21 PM Josie: A *whole* lot better'n'that. 10:20:43 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, good. No sword-presenting women? 10:21:04 PM Josie: Nope, nothin' like that, an' I don't think I was queen, neither. 10:23:44 PM Khiro: Ebeezer: No? 10:27:01 PM Josie: No. 10:27:11 PM Josie: There was dancin' an' singin', and folks were happy, though. 10:31:44 PM Josie: Seemed like a fair 'mount of brotherhood goin' on. Folks cooperatin'. This town could use somethin' like that. 10:34:48 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I think the world coudl use something like that. Those same scholars who say that Arthur is a repeating archetype say that Camelot is the same way. There've been many Camelots. 10:35:34 PM Josie: Doubt I could do anythin'. 10:37:23 PM Josie: Not like that. 10:37:27 PM Josie: ... but it'd sure be nice. 10:37:35 PM Khiro: Ebenezer smiles. 10:37:41 PM Josie: Josie takes his hand and squeezes it, remembering the dream and smiling a bit. 10:38:49 PM Khiro: He squeezes it back! 10:40:18 PM Josie: Doubt I'd be able to make it happen, though. 10:40:56 PM Khiro: EBenezer: One never knows. 10:42:45 PM | Edited 10:42:52 PM Josie: Well. Best focus on makin' things better as best we can with what we got. 10:43:13 PM Josie: If you got specific locations of places he visited, I'll send a wire on to 'em, see if I can get some clues as to who 'e was. 10:47:32 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: So far most of them are in England. But I might be able to help there. 10:49:11 PM Josie: Really? 10:50:23 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Sure. I still correspond with folks back in England. 10:53:45 PM Josie: ... thanks. 10:53:50 PM Josie: Josie turns a bit to kiss him! 10:55:15 PM Khiro: He kisses her back! Josie was, yep! ... she forgets what she was going to do next. 8:15:52 PM Khiro: I don't know! 8:20:47 PM Josie: Josie smiles a bit at Eben. "Well. Maybe I'll go talk t'Rivers 'bout that skeleton." 8:21:24 PM Khiro: He smiles. "I'll continue working on this journal for you. Hey, do you have the bullet that killed the man?" 8:22:41 PM Josie: Sure. 8:22:52 PM Josie: Josie digs it out of her pocket and sets it on the table. 8:24:38 PM Khiro: He looks at it warily. "Well, if you're going to see Rivers, maybe he can tell you if it's magical." 8:25:31 PM Josie: ... that's a good idea. 8:25:48 PM Josie: Josie pockets that, too. 8:28:44 PM Josie: ... all right, guess I'd better get movin'. 8:29:18 PM Khiro: He smiles. "Okay. I'll... get to work on this." 8:30:52 PM Josie: ... try to write neater, 'case I have to send that. 8:31:17 PM Khiro: He raises an eyebrow. "Send it where?" 8:31:32 PM Josie: Headquarters. Ain't likely but you never know. 8:32:11 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I'll try. 8:34:35 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I'll write slower. 8:35:24 PM Josie: Not *too* slow. 8:35:30 PM Josie: Josie kisses him again. 8:35:54 PM Khiro: He kisses her back! 8:36:18 PM Josie: Josie tips her hat and heads out, taking the bullet. 8:38:51 PM Khiro: Okay! Riding to the Winters estate, then? 8:39:20 PM Josie: Josie does! On Delphine. 8:42:42 PM Khiro: ((brb! Phone.)) 8:53:41 PM Khiro: ((Back! Yappity yap yap yap.)) 8:55:07 PM Josie: ((Hee.)) 8:55:36 PM Khiro: (I was efficient and made a sandwich at the same time, though!)) 8:57:12 PM Josie: ((... we're obviously on the same wavelength, because I did too.)) 8:57:52 PM Khiro: ((SAMMICH!)) 9:01:56 PM Josie: Josie saddles up Delphine and heads to the Rivers place! 9:02:54 PM Khiro: Okay! She likes the ride. 9:05:09 PM Josie: Josie lets her go fast for a little if she wants. Or not if she doesn't feel like it. 9:06:32 PM Khiro: She's happy to go fast! 9:07:44 PM Josie: Josie tries to make sure she doesn't tire herself out, though, and when she gets to the Rivers place, she makes sure she has some water. 9:09:33 PM Khiro: Okay! Easy enough. There's a post and a trough near the front door. 9:09:54 PM Josie: Josie gives her a sugarcube too, and then knocks on the door. 9:10:22 PM Khiro: There's a pause, and the door opens! 9:11:03 PM Josie: ... Mr. Rivers? 9:11:25 PM Khiro: You hear his voice echoing through the halls. "Yes? Come on up." 9:11:56 PM Josie: Josie heads upstairs. 9:12:47 PM Khiro: You find the library pretty easily. 9:13:56 PM Josie: ... Mr. Rivers? 9:14:31 PM Khiro: He's standing on a stepladder going through some books. "Yes, marshal Kate Candlemas?" 9:15:34 PM Josie: Couple of things. Could you tell me if there's anythin' magic about this bullet? 9:15:38 PM Josie: Josie holds it up. 9:16:27 PM Khiro: He hops off the stepladder. "WEll, let's see." He goes over to his desk and puts on a pair of glasses. "Nope, not magic. None at all. Just silver." 9:16:57 PM Josie: Figured. 9:17:03 PM Josie: Second, you want some ectoplasm? 9:17:16 PM Khiro: He claps his hands together. "Oh, yes, very much." 9:17:35 PM Josie: Josie hands him the snotty-gooed handkerchiefs. Ew. 9:18:00 PM Josie: Don't think much of it myself. 9:18:20 PM Josie: Third, Mr. Dingo says your werewolf ain't real. 9:18:54 PM Khiro: He turns and grabs a big mason jar full of what look like teeth, dumping them all over the floor. "Put it in here." 9:19:32 PM Josie: Josie puts the hankies in there. 9:21:20 PM Khiro: He nods, screwing the top back on the jar. "Well, I suppose Mr. Dingo would know, wouldn't he?" 9:23:42 PM Josie: Bein' a taxidermist. 9:23:44 PM Josie: Josie nods. 9:32:58 PM Khiro: Rivers: Being a werewolf. 9:33:31 PM Josie: .... oh? 9:33:50 PM Khiro: He taps his glasses! 9:34:58 PM Josie: M'sure he appreciates you not spreadin' that around. 9:35:20 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs. "Who would I tell? And why?" 9:37:05 PM Josie: Some folks aren't too kind. 9:38:30 PM Khiro: Rivers: Oh. Well, it's none of my business, way I figure it. So its not real? The skeleton? 9:39:08 PM Josie: Nope. 9:39:21 PM Josie: Says it might be a Fiji mermaid, where more'n'one skeleton was put together. 9:39:31 PM Khiro: River: Huh. 9:40:06 PM Josie: .... but that means you might have an illegally procured skeleton. Might be a murder victim hidin' in plain sight or the like, an' in any case, we got part of a person up there who ain't got a head. 9:40:44 PM Khiro: Rivers: Well, you want it? It's not genuine, so I'm not interested in it at all. 9:42:18 PM Josie: I do. Got any information 'bout the provenance? Or who sold it to ya? 9:42:49 PM Khiro: Rivers: Fella I know back east named McGivens. 9:43:16 PM Josie: Where, when, an' under what circumstances? 9:43:46 PM Khiro: Rivers: About two months ago, on a business trip to New York. 9:45:08 PM Josie: Good, means I can get 'em for transportin' over state lines. That's Marshal jurisdiction. 9:47:43 PM Khiro: Rivers: ... wait, what? 9:49:03 PM Josie: Well *somebody* been defrauded. Mighta been just you, mighta been McGivins. 9:51:23 PM Josie: How much didja pay for it? 9:51:57 PM Khiro: Rivers: I traded for it! 9:52:22 PM Josie: What'd you trade for it, an' how much was *that* worth? 9:53:10 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs. "An old oil lamp." 9:54:51 PM Josie: No Djinn? 9:55:23 PM Khiro: Rivers: No djinn. I think he mostly wanted the oil, which came from Jerusalem. 9:55:51 PM Khiro: ((Brb!)) 9:57:45 PM Josie: ... huh. What d'you value that at? 10:08:06 PM Khiro: Rivers: Well, I got the oil lantern in exchange for a train dining car. 10:08:30 PM Josie: ... just tell me what the monetary value is, estimated. What could you sell it for on the black market? 10:08:48 PM Khiro: River: The train dining car? 10:09:08 PM Josie: Either of 'em, the lantern or the dinin' car. 10:09:48 PM Khiro: Rivers: Um. I'm not good at estimating. 10:10:02 PM Khiro: Rivers: 500 dollars? 10:11:08 PM Josie: ... prob'ly more'n that, but that'll do. You got an address or location I could find McGivens at? He mighta been taken in, or might be the perpetrator, it's too early to say. 10:11:52 PM Khiro: Rivers: He has offices in New York. I'll write it down for you. 10:12:42 PM Josie: Thanks. 10:12:59 PM Josie: ... sorry about all of it. How come the glasses didn't show it? 10:14:14 PM Khiro: Rivers: They only show magic. Bones aren't magic, even if the creature was magical. 10:14:26 PM Khiro: Rivers: Unless they were animated by magic. 10:14:33 PM Khiro: Rivers: Then they'd show they were magic. 10:15:29 PM Josie: Disturbin' thought. 10:18:39 PM Khiro: Rivers: Is it? I can't even tell aymore. 10:18:48 PM Josie: You can't? 10:19:11 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs. 10:19:31 PM Josie: ... might be worryin'. 10:22:29 PM Josie: You should spend more time 'round people. 10:24:08 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs! 10:24:41 PM Khiro: Rivers: Eh. Don't worry, I don't plan on animating anything. 10:25:10 PM Josie: I mean for yer own good. 10:25:44 PM Khiro: RIvers: Why? 10:26:01 PM Josie: Keeps you human. 10:26:58 PM Khiro: Rivers: Overrated! 10:29:38 PM Josie: Surely you got *somebody* you don't mind spendin' time with. 10:30:23 PM Khiro: Rivers: I dno't mind spending time with anyone. But I don't mind being here with my books and artifacts, either. 10:31:47 PM Josie: ... interested in magic. Are y'interested in science at all? Mixin' the two? 10:31:59 PM Khiro: Rivers: Not really. 10:32:30 PM Josie: Hm. 10:32:41 PM Josie: ... guess I can keep visitin'. 10:33:07 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs. "If you want." 10:35:27 PM Josie: You object 't'all? 10:36:07 PM Khiro: Rivers: Not really, I suppose. 10:36:31 PM Josie: ... worry about ya, livin' out here by yourself. 10:36:37 PM Khiro: Rivers: Why? 10:37:20 PM Josie: Plenty of bad folks around. Viskav wasn't the only one. 10:37:41 PM Khiro: Rivers: I've been fine. 10:37:58 PM Josie: You been lucky. 10:38:11 PM Khiro: Rivers: I've been fine. 10:38:18 PM Josie: Reckon folks mostly leave you be 'cause they think you're a wizard. 10:38:38 PM Khiro: Rivers: Well, don't tell them I'm *not*. That would ruin it. 10:42:43 PM Josie: When they ask I'll say you *say* you ain't. An' look skeptical. 'cause I ain't entirely sure myself. When's my wizard gettin' here? 10:43:18 PM Khiro: Rivers: I wouldn't call him 'your wizard'. Wizards are cranky. Should be coming in two days. 10:46:01 PM Josie: Well, I call m'doctor my doctor. Don't see how it's different. 10:46:14 PM Josie: ... say, when's the next full moon? 10:46:26 PM Khiro: Rivers: One week from now. 10:47:44 PM Josie: Got some time, then. All right. 10:48:34 PM Khiro: Rivers: Some time for what? 10:50:10 PM Josie: ... nothin', ain't important. 10:50:34 PM Josie: Got any advice for me on talkin' to the wizard? 10:50:46 PM Khiro: Rivers: Don't look him in the eye! 10:52:15 PM Josie: .... really? 10:52:19 PM Josie: Josie looks at him doubtfully. 10:52:46 PM Khiro: Rivers: Yeah. Also don't stare at his feet. Try and keep things at neck level. 10:55:00 PM Josie: ... you sure? That sounds crazy. 11:00:09 PM Khiro: Rivers: Didn't you ever hear that song? How does it go.... "Wizards can be touchy and they don't have many fans; they're tight-lipped about their secrets and they're stingy with their plans. But if you wind up all scorched you only have yourself to blame; I don't recommend you push 'em when their hands are full of flame." 11:03:55 PM Josie: ... I'm a marshal. Flame me an' you got a whole government agency breathin' down your neck. 11:04:00 PM Josie: Ain't worth it even to wizards. 11:04:44 PM Khiro: Rivers shrugs. "I just liked the song." 11:07:10 PM Khiro: Rivers: But really, dont' look in his eyes. 11:10:30 PM Josie: ... got to, I'm a representative of the U.S. Marshals an' we can't be seen bein' afraid. 11:11:17 PM Khiro: Rivers: Well, dont' say I didn't warn you. 11:17:47 PM Josie: I won't. 11:17:54 PM Josie: Well. You need anythin', all the way out here? 11:18:49 PM Khiro: Rivers: Of course not! 11:20:32 PM Josie: All right. Well, you let me know. 11:20:36 PM Josie: Josie tips her hat and heads out!